'Highly alarming': PTA urged to block pornographic, blasphemous content

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has urged the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block and restrict access to pornographic, blasphemous, and other harmful online content.

In a letter to the top telecommunication regulator, the Religious affairs ministry expressed concerns over Pakistan becoming “one of the leading countries in terms of viewing pornographic content, which is highly alarming, especially in light of its negative impact on public morality and the well-being of our society”.

“Despite the proactive measures taken by the PTA to block such content in line with the Supreme Court orders issued in January 2016, May 2016, and March 2018, it has been observed that pornographic and blasphemous material is still readily accessible on multiple online platforms,” it added.

Acknowledging the PTA's efforts to curb this issue by blocking the accessibility of such content, the ministry noted that such material "is still online accessible that violates our cultural and religious values".

“The widespread availability of such content undermines efforts to protect citizens, particularly young people, from exposure to harmful material. It also raises concerns regarding the adherence to the directives of the top court and the authority's ability to effectively enforce content regulations.”

Given the sensitivity of the matter, the ministry asked the PTA to take measures to block and restrict access to pornographic, blasphemous, and other harmful online content at the earliest timeframe. “An early and prompt action is requested,” it concluded.